A Look Back at the... Pioneer-Tribune Archives

50 Years Ago November 22, 1962

• That’s right...customers will dial seven numbers to make local calls starting December 2. That’s the day the new automatic dial system will be cut into operation and the day the new directory becomes effective. Because every Manistique telephone will have a new number December 2, be sure to check the new directory for correct numbers. Complete dial instructions will be found in the first pages of the new directory. General telephone is proud to bring customers this modern communications system. It is part of General telephone’s 1962 $16 million expansion and improvement program in Michigan.

• An improved city water system and improved street lighting in the city are two projects that will be submitted by the City Council for Federal Aid grants. This decision was reached last night in a meeting between members of the City Council and the City Planning Commission. Councilmen had sought projects to qualify under the Accelerated Public Works program of grants from the federal government. The city must now obtain engineering estimates in order to determine cost figures before the request can be filed.

• Commercial fishermen are reporting good catches of chubs in Lake Michigan off of the Manistique harbor. Harry Hughson, veteran local fisherman, said his boat was averaging about 3,500 pounds of chubs a week. Between eight and ten fishing boats are using the local harbor as a home base these weeks. “Manistique’s about the best port on the lakes right now for fishing.” Hughson said, and added that lower lake ports were doing little.

• An 8-point buck was reported stolen from a car parked downtown sometime early Saturday morning. Lloyd Tercarten, Garden City, told Public Safety officers he and some friends were eating in the Liberty Cafe when the theft occurred about 3 a.m.

• Biggest rack reported yet this season is the 13-point buck shot by Tom Elliott of 326 Schoolcraft Ave. The deer weighed 195 pounds, and was shot near Thompson.

• Public Safety firemen answered an alarm at 4:54 p.m. Monday to the home of Charles Bontekoe at Indian Lake to extinguish a defective pilot light. There was no damage.

35 Years Ago November 17, 1977

• Winds estimated up to 62 miles per hour caused a rash of damages and disturbances in the Manistique area from Sunday night to late Monday. The storm, which hit Manistique with warm southerly gusts, dropped only about .60 inches of rain on the area according to City Department of Public Works weather records. However, in its wake, the wind blew away sections of the city’s Paul Bunyan marker, a section of the C-L Hardware roof, part of a tree onto the roof of the Big Bay de Noc Motel, numerous Citizen Band antennas including the one atop the Manistique State Police Post, and other parts of buildings off private homes. Insurance agencies in the Manistique area have reported that as many as 60 claims for damages have been filed.

• In March of 1959, the Messier-Broullire Funeral Home turned over an ambulance to the City of Manistique. Since that time, the Manistique Ambulance Service has been providing its services to the city and also Schoolcraft County. Today, there are two ambulances in service 24 hours a day--both fully equipped according to state regulations. A crew of nine persons, who are all Public Safety Officers, man the ambulance service in its operations. However, the work by these persons is done strictly on a voluntary basis.

25 Years Ago November 25, 1987

• When the Howard Johnson motel on U.S. 2 opens in January a little piece of 100 local children will be there. Over 100 school children last week pressed their hands in squares of clay that will become decorative tiles for the lobby of the Howard Johnson. According to Manistique High School art teacher Johanna Worley, motel owner Robert Goldthorp wanted some permanent, local influence in the hotel. Worley said Goldthorp came up with the idea of handprints in tiles. Worley, who has studied ceramics, was approached by Superintendent Herb Harrouin who asked for her help.

• The prospect of Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital and the adjacent county Medical Care facility combining some services or eventually merging received mixed reviews at the SMH board’s regular meeting Nov. 18. The committee formed by the two institutions to study possible combinations has set up teams to work on specific problems and is contacting architects for a facilities study on any remodeling that might be required. Trustee James Malloch presented the report of the long-range planning committee working on possible combined services.

• Quick question for the day - When was the last time the Emerald girls team has suffered a loss? If you said Oct. 15, you’re right. On that day, the girls lost to Norway, 62-37. That’s right. Forty days without a loss. The Emerald girls continued their fabulous winning streak last Thursday in District Action against St. Ignace. They pummeled the Saints, 65-35, for their eighth consecutive victory and advanced to the district final against Newberry.

10 Years Ago November 21, 2002

• The financial impact of the recent contract settlement with sheriff’s department employees is not as large as originally believed. However, retroactive pay raises will still cost Schoolcraft County a considerable amount of money. As previously reported, the County Board ratified the new contract with the 11 employees represented by the Police Officers Labor Council (POLC) at its Oct. 31 meeting. The agreement called for a pay increase of 60-cents-anhour for each year of the three-year deal, retroactive to April 1, 2000, when the old contract expired. At the time of approval, several commissioners expressed their satisfaction with the new contract, but also cited concerns about the amount of the back salary payments. While no exact figures were given, it was suggested that it could cost more than $92,000. At last week’s auditfinance meeting, the board learned that the amount is actually only $76,749. It was agreed to take the money from the delinquent tax revolving fund.

• The official search has been called off, but the family of a couple whose plane disappeared near the tip of the Garden Peninsula more than a week ago is continuing to ask for assistance from local residents and hunters. Melvin and Judy Bellamy were traveling from Missouri to their home on Beaver Island when their Cessna 175 disappeared Sunday, Nov. 10. Their last known stop had been in Fon du Lac, Wis. As of press time Wednesday, no sign of the missing aircraft had been found.